How to Get Rid of Possums from Inside Your Roof

For decades, possum habitat has been in decline due to deforestation for farming and the continual expansion of suburbia. Being are a very adaptable animal however, many possums have learned to live in crevices and rooftops, replacing the trees that were once their homes.

This can cause concern for residents because possums, being nocturnal, become active while most of us are trying to sleep. If you’ve ever had a possum living above your ceiling you know they can be quite noisy – fighting, screeching and running across the roof. They can also leave behind the foul stench of urine and brown stains of secretion from their glands, which they use to mark their territory. If you live in Brisbane, the Gold Coast or the Sunshine Coast, the team here at Pesky Possum can help you with possum removal and relocation, however for those of you who live in other areas here are some tips to keep those pesky possums at bay.

Get Rid of those Pesky Possums

The first thing to do is to find out how the possums are getting into your home. This will usually be under the eaves or through a gap under your tiles. A brown stain around any possible entry/exit point is a good indicator that the hole is being used. Once you have established how the possum is getting into your roof, you need to patch up the hole while the possum is outside or patch it and set a trap inside so it can be caught and released.

Possums are usually sleeping during the day so you can wait until nightfall to patch up the hole, ensuring that the possum does not get trapped inside. Another option is to patch up the hole during the day and set a trap inside the roof to catch the possum so you can then set it free on the outside. Red apples are a good choice for trap bait. If you’d like to know more about trap hire in Brisbane and the surrounding areas, please follow the link.

When patching up any holes ensure you use solid sheeting or timber, as possums can be very determined and will claw their way back through weaker materials. Take a look at our video to the left to see just how aggressively they will try to get back inside!

Possum Deterrents

In order to stop further possums from taking up residence in your home, consider some of these options as a deterrent.

• Possum sprays – Nurseries, hardware stores and supermarkets stock a range of possum deterrent sprays.• Cut back any trees close to your home – This will make it harder for possums to access your roof.• Possum spikes – These can be places along the tops of fences to impede access to your property.• Spotlights – These can be aimed onto trees where possums tend to frequent. Possums do not like bright lights so this will deter them.• Build a Possum Box – Instructions on how to do this can be found online. A possum box will give the possum somewhere to live that isn’t inside your ceiling.

If you need to get rid of a possum but don’t want to go through all the hassle yourself, give Pesky Possum Pest Control a call on 1300 442 978 to discuss your options. We have a number of possum removal experts who can swiftly and safely remove the possum and patch up your home to keep those pesky critters at bay!